Dynamics of vehicles with controlled limited-slip differential

This Ph.D. thesis is aimed at analyzing vehicle dynamics in presence of an electronically controlled limited-slip differential and at developing advanced control strategies for the limited-slip differential of sports cars, in order to improve performance, stability and safety. A critical review of the concept of understeer-oversteer for vehicles with locked differential is first presented. The steady-state directional behaviour of rear-wheel drive vehicles fitted with locked differential is theoretically analyzed. Furthermore, the problem of describing the understeer-oversteer behaviour of a general vehicle is addressed taking a fresh perspective, since the new concept of handling surface and a new definition of understeer gradient are presented, this latter being the gradient of the handling surface. The problem of controlling vehicle dynamics by means of electronically controlled limited-slip differentials is then approached. The main handling control problems for sports cars fitted with controlled limited-slip differential are analyzed in detail. An advanced control strategy, developed for the rear electronically controlled limited-slip differential of F1 race cars, is also described.